Titanic: Adventure Out of Time
by ThrashMetallix
Summary: This is based off an old computer game. British agent, Frank Carlson gets a chance at redemption a failed mission during the fateful voyage of the R.M.S. Titanic. The past, forever locked away in regret. But what if the past could be changed?
1. April 14th, 1942

APRIL, 14, 1942

_"...as we begin today's top stories..." _the man's radio began, broadcasting the latest news from the war's front. This woke the man up.

Ever since Frank had failed his mission on the Titanic 27 years ago, his life, and life around the world had been hell. He failed, Hitler was bombing the hell out of his country, and he could not pay the rent of his apartment room, which was due today.

He sighed as he listened to the news.

_"London has endured another night of German bombing. Most damage was concentrated in the east end. The RAF has struck enemy air raid warnings for the low countries. In Russia, further German losses are reported around Leningrad. In Asia, the American fortress in the Burmese lands are reporting to hold their defenses, but Japanese forces are nearing the oil fields there as well. And that concludes the news summery. We now return you to our music program." _

A soft piano tune began playing. Frank sat up. His room was filled with the memories of these past years. A model of the famous lost liner, the R.M.S. Titanic sat upon his fireplace mantle. He had countless newspaper clippings stored in a photo scrap book, and he had his valued possessions from the fateful night itself.

Then the knock at his door came. He grunted, and didn't bother answering it. He knew who it was, and she was the last person he wanted to speak with at the moment. Sure enough, her cranky old voice came through his shut door.

" 'Bout time you're awake! You're two weeks late with the rent! War or no war..." she continued rambling on. It gave Frank a headache. It wouldn't be long before the cranky old woman got herself a nazi battering ram and just threw Frank out on the streets.

"You'll pay the rent today, or it's the streets, I promise!"

Then she went away.

Frank just sat and looked over on his desk. A watch, which was long broken sat on his desk. Normally one would have thrown the watch away or would have the watch repaired, but it was the watch that he owned during his mission aboard the Titanic. Funny, ever since that night, the watch had been broken, and had never worked.

Simply looking at that watch made a voice ring in Frank's head. A voice that had warned Frank of the consequences revolving his failed mission aboard the Titanic.

_See here...this isn't about your dedication. Pringle certainly attests to your buoyant. Know your dismissal stems from the Titanic. That failure can no longer be ignored...especially now. I am sorry, but someone is surely to blame. The service, you understand....we cannot be held responsible..._

Frank's head sank. It was like life had absolutely no meaning. It was full of endless war, and pain.

An air raid siren began to blare.

Frank looked up. Sure enough, German bombers were filling the sky. Explosions began to fill the landscape. They were bombing the city in the morning? And sure enough, Frank was pretty far from the nearest shelter. He began to make for the door. He didn't care if the cranky old woman was waiting there with a baseball bat, a headache was better than a falling bomb.

He was just passing his window when his fear became a reality.

A bomb exploded right next to the window, making him unconscious, and completely unaware of the current environment which now surrounded him. He felt lost in spirit and body....in fact he thought he heard the haunting whistle from the Titanic itself...


	2. Frank Carlson's Chance for Redemption

Frank's head was spinning. He felt dizzy. He opened his eyes. The surrounding looked awfully familiar.....he was in the cabin that was assigned to him when he boarded the Titanic in 1914. Was he dead? He felt alive. No, he was alive. He looked at a nearby calendar....something wasn't right.

April 14th, 1914? He looked down at his watch. It was working! It read 9:31 PM. Which meant...

Something wasn't right. What happened to the war? Unless somehow he had managed to somehow go back in time...

He looked in a mirror...he looked the way he did in 1914. Strange. Perhaps this was a way of redemption? He had a mission. He wondered what he'd been doing the past few days aboard...

A knock came at the door. He closed the pocket watch, and went to answer. A man dressed in a white suit greeted him at the door.

"Good evening," he began in a rather low tone. "I am Smethells, your steward, and if I may so so, it is good to see you up and about. You've been in your cabin the whole voyage. A touch of the mal de mer?"

Frank slowly nodded. He had no idea, but decided to go with it.

"Yes just a touch."

Smethells closed his eyes. "Seasickness can be quite unpleasant- esecially if it is one's first crossing. I have a message for you from a correspondent."

Frank took the telegram, which simply read "Meet me by the electric camel, now! -P. P."

As Smethells rambled about how passengers demanded messages be sent daily and rapidly, Frank remembered back. P. P. stood for Penny Pringle, who was a fellow agent. Frank was supposed to meet her at the electric camel or a mission...the mission he failed this very night. Perhaps this was a chance for redemption.

"Thanks, Smethells. That will be it then?"

"If you have no need of additional assistance. Should you require me, please feel free to ring the bell by the door. I bid you good night."

With that, he left.

Frank stood with his door open. He wondered still about his current situation, but if this was a chance for redemption, there was no reason he should be complaining. He would have done anything to get this chance...and he had it.

He immediately left his cabin and went to the gymnasium to meet Penny Pringle. It was time to finish what he failed to do this night...


	3. Penny Pringle, and the Mission

Frank knew his way around the ship. It was as if it had never left his head. He managed his way up the ship's famous grand staircase and towards the gymnasium. Because of the late hour, there weren't that many people up and around. But it didn't matter.

Frank found the gymnasium, and opened the door. A woman in a pale pink dress was standing in the room. Upon entry she immediately looked in his direction. She looked to be in her late 30's to early 40's. This was Penny Pringle, and she had a surprised look on her face.

"Glory be!" she began "It's about time, you're late!"

Was he? He'd only just got here in the first place. Oh well.

"Another five minutes and I would have canceled your mission." she said with a rather stern tone.

"Well I'm here, and that's what really matters....sorry for being late." Frank said.

"What a botch up." Penny said. "Some idiot in the War Office booked me into second- not first class. I've had a fine time of it too. The crew wouldn't let me into the first class cabin areas at all! It was just today when I finally located your cabin."

So that explained the whole time in his cabin. He must have been waiting to hear from Pringle.

"Well, what's going on?"

"Look at this..."

Penny took out a photo from her handbag and showed it to Frank. A very wealthy gentleman was on the photo.

"The German Colonel, named Zeitel. He's inspecting their embassies in Havana, Washington, and Mexico. We know better. Ten days ago the Bureau got word that Zeital has in his possession a priceless copy of the Rubyait of Omar Khayam. Stolen two months ago in Paris, after its purchase by a very highly placed member of His Majesty's government."

Frank's memory was rusty. Perhaps the bomb had done some physical damage to his memory as well...

"What's the Rubyait now?"

"The Rubyait is a book. A collection of Medieval Persian poetry...a passion of his Lordship." Penny scoffed. "Poetry...Persians! The German's high command must think it important enough to have their top man smuggle the lot on board."

It was rather strange. But it still didn't answer one question.

"What's Zeitel going to do with it?"

Penny looked at Frank. "It's _your_ job to find out! His Lordship's watching this very closely...very closely indeed. I wouldn't fumble with this chance either. That is, unless you fancy spending the rest of your career in some grotty Midlands back-office shuffling paper about."

Frank remembered his horrid life which was a reality not 10 minutes ago...he dropped the thought then immediately.

"What are the German's up to?"

"Have you seen the report in your cabin trunk? I'd jolly well read it if I were you."

""I'll remember to do so. Back to Zeitel...is he traveling alone?"

"No. He is with a protégé. Name of Haderlitz, I believe. The two spend a great deal of time in the Cafe Parisian. Nibbling pastries." Penny added, as if the mention of eating a pastry brought up a great deal of suspicion.

Penny got to the important part.

"Get into the Wireless Room. I don't care how. The officer wouldn't let me in. See if Zeitel's received any telegrams concerning the Rubyait. You have a cryptograph in your trunk. It should decode any German coding in the telegrams. You use the brains God gave you! Watch people...and listen...trust no one."

Frank looked around as if to see a pair of eyes in the wall staring right back at him.

"If you find anything, knock on my cabin door, F-34. It should be easy to spot once you go down the Second Class stairs." Penny looked around.

"You should be set. Remember, this is your big chance: Don't fail!"

With that, she left the gymnasium, leaving Frank alone. She was right. This was his big chance....but what was more....there was no time. He had to keep his mind focused. Because, if history decided to take the intended path Frank feared it would, tonight, at around 11:40, the ship would finally meet the beginning of it's doom. And it would not be long at all before the ship would sink to the ocean's depths.

He had his mission. He had his objectives. He left the gymnasium and went onto the Boat deck. This was his second chance he had to remember. He couldn't fail this time...


	4. Meeting Georgia and Max

It was nearing 9:45 when Frank left the Gymnasium. It was chilly out tonight. But he already knew it would be cold. He had already lived this nightmare of a night once.

Out on deck....he saw someone he had forgotten was on the Titanic...a woman he had once loved five years back....her name was Georgia Lambeth...she saw him and went over immediately, a joy in her eyes.

"You came! After all this time! I've heard you were onboard! Where have you been?"

Frank smiled a warm smile. "Hello, Georgia, I've been...detained."

Georgia sighed.

"It's been five years. I would have waited a lot longer to see you again. Why didn't you tell me where'd you gone? Deena hadn't a clue, nor did Jack. And all my letters were returned!"

Frank offered her a look of sympathy. He was sorry, but with his job at the War Office, his social life had been limited extremely.

"Well, it's just like you to show up when everything's suddenly turned into such a beastly mess....you must help me..."

"Help you?" Frank asked. He had no memory of her needing any help.

"You've no doubt heard the rumors." Frank didn't know about any rumors but listened. "And I won't deny most of them...I can't! But even if the money's gone I won't give the diamonds to Charles. Never!"

Lord Charles Lambeth was the current husband of Georgia. He was arrogant and Frank didn't really like the guy, but did respect Georgia's decision to marry him. Georgia eld up a necklace of diamonds.

"These are all that remains. My insurance for a new life without Charles...or Sasha."

Frank looked at Georgia.

"Who's Sasha?"

"Sasha? The owner of the Barbricon Gallery? Well, we're friends....of a sort."

Frank didn't like the tone of that "of a sort." Sasha filled his head wit suspicion now.

"He's sailing on the Titanic and taking some paintings to New York to sell."

Georgia looked around.

"Please, I mustn't talk any longer! Take it." She said giving the necklace to Frank.

"Wha- why?

"Take the necklace, you're my only chance now! Keep it for me. And don't tell Charles you have it! You can't know what he's like!"

Georgia then left him without another word. Frank held the necklace of diamonds in his hand, then put it in his pack. He then headed towards the Wireless room, when another person got his attention.

A man he did not know, but he man simply said, "Come here." And Frank, though on a mission, could not turn down a simple request...

Frank went to the man, who had a rather sporty outfit.

"Don'tcha love the sea air?" he asked friendly, inhaling and breathing out a sigh of great relief. "Really clears out the sinuses!"

Frank said nothing but offered a smile.

"Name's Max Seidelman. Live in Philidelphia, P.A."

_Heh, Americans. Love the way they speak._

"Buyer for Haymakers Dept. Store. The shoppiest sprustreet they call me."

Frank had no idea what that meant, but he guessed it meant he went to this store quite often.

"You a sporting type, you look like the sporting type! Come on down to the smoking room for a nightcap! Riviera's looking for someone to play a few hands of Blackjack with him. There's nothing much else to do out here...not on a night like this, anyway."

He offered a shiver in disgust of this cold and looked back to Frank.

"Colder than a cast-iron commode out here...what do you say?"

Frank thought. He knew he had a mission...but he also remembered Pringle's words.

_"Watch people...listen..."_

This might be a good opportunity to do that part...

"Sure Max. Name's Frank Carlson."

"Glad to meet you. First let's hit the Parisian Cafe. There's a man there, by the name of Zeitel...a German."

Frank's eyes almost widened at the name. But he didn't want to make this Max seem suspicious of him as well. Max whispered, "He claims to be a business man. But he's got something up his sleeve, I'm betting. I know the type, believe me. Dollars to donuts, he's in some racket! So come with, why don't you?"

"Yes...I'd very much like to meet this Mr. Zeitel..." Frank said as normal as he could.


	5. Meeting the Colonel

The two men entered the Parisian Cafe. Max let out a friendly greeting.

"Hey, colonel, how you doing? Willie?" Frank entered the room. Two gentlemen sat at a table. Frank recognized Zeitel from the photo Pringle showed him, but not the other man. That must be Haderlitz. Zeital was lighting up a tobacco pipe when Frank walked in.

Max then said. "Like you to meet a friend."

Zeitel looked at Frank while lighting his pipe.

In his heavy German accent he began to talk.

"A pleasure. Haderlitz and I, we welcome diversion to such an uneventful passage...don't we Willie?"

The one next to him looked at Zeitel.

"Certainly." His accent strangely didn't sound German...in fact it sounded a bit Austrian.

Zeitel spoke again. "Willie works at the University of Vienna, dissecting children's fables..."

Willie said, "C-cultural mythology, it's quite interesting. Though only a junior professor, I tried to interest Dr. Froyd. He's a genius, and I- I..."

Zeitel interrupted with a puff of his pipe. "Yes I am sure, quite." He then looked at Frank. "On the passenger list, it says you embarked at Cherbourg. Yet I have not seen you with the others. You were there, were you not?"

Frank remembered his excuse from earlier.

"I was feeling a bit ill."

The colonel too another puff. "I see...you are British. Not so many of you in Titanic's first cabins. These days, most of the rich are American. Businessmen like Max...tell me. Why do you go to New York?"

Damn....he thought of the first thing that came to mind.

"I too, am a businessman and am on business."

Zeitel nodded and puffed away.

"Business. How interesting. Considering that the British are not so good at it."

_Dammit, probably should have said something else._

_"Well, what do you do?" Frank asked Zeitel._

"Me? Inspecting our embassies. Imperial Germany expects to make a good impression in North America. Willie is traveling on to the West. To conduct research of aboriginal customs."

Willie lit up.

"The Indians....they are _fascinating!_"

Zeitel looked rather annoyed at his friends continuous interruptions. :Yes, yes. However, I place faith in science. Not superstition."

Max spoke to Frank.

"The colonel was saying this wireless stuff's revolutionizing everything! Sending messages to each other. It's the end of books and newspapers!"

Zeitel poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip. "Like the Titanic. A technological triumph. Here we dine in comfort while racing along at twenty knots. We are tied to the outside world by the way of wireless."

Willie spoke up.

"That reminds me. Colonel Zeitel, when I go to send your telegram, they told me it was to be delayed. There are too many messages. The passengers-"

Zeitel interrupted him. "I am sure our new friend here would not like to hear a detailed discussion of your encounter with telegraphy."

He turned to Frank. "Now if you will please excuse me...please meet with us tomorrow...here in the cafe. For a British ship, this place is rather comfortable. Willie and I welcome guests to chat with."

"Yes we do." Willie said.

Zeitel looked at Frank. "But before I leave you allow me to give you some advice. Do not wander the ship."

"Uhh....why?"

"I do not feel that a ship as big as the Titanic will go well with your help...good night."

With that, Willie and Zeitel left, leaving Max and Frank alone in the Cafe.

Max tapped Frank's shoulder. "You see? What did I say? Them two. Up to something. The brainy kid gives me the creeps. What a grind. He should hang out with that little blonde...now she's a looker."

"Who?"

"His girlfriend or something. Still up for the smoking room?"

"Unfortunately no. Maybe later, Max. But I've just remembered a person I need to meet up with. Perhaps later. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"I'll be in the Smoking room if you change your mind. Good night."

With that, Frank left Max and went out on deck again....he had to get into the Wireless room.


End file.
